I Am The Third One In My Family

My Family lives in a small village in Tonpheuang district, Bokeo province. It is a quite big family if comparing with other western families. There are 6 persons including me-my father, my mother, my older sister and brother, my younger brother and me. In fact, there were 7 persons if also counting my younger sister who unfortunately died of Malaria since she was a newborn.

My father is currently retired. He used to work for the government of Laos since after revolution 1975 utill he got promotion and became a Tonpheuang district governor. He stopped his work in 2004. So far he has just stayed at home and helped my mother selling things.

My mother is a retailer. She buys things from Thailand or somewhere else and sells out for other people. Very day she just sit and watches her firm and sells things. She actually is very clever even if she did not have high education. She has capacity to trade and never fail.

My older sister is in another district, Hun district, Oudomxay province. She moved to there since she got married after a couple of year. She currently lives with her husband and trades as my mother. She got inspiration or influence from my mother. Now she has 3 childrens- two sons and one beuatiful daughter.

My older brother still lives in Namkeungmai. He is artist-making gold or silver earing, necklet, for instance. He is smart and creative. He has capacity to do lots of things like build a house, etc. He got married and has 3 sons. His house is beside my parents'house.

My younger brother also lives in Namkeuangmai with my parents. He is handsome and is tallest in my family. He is a pharmacist. He opens a small pharmacy shop within the house. He buys medicines from Thailand or sometimes from Houayxai district and sells out. His shop opens every day. He also got married and right now he has one cute son.

Me, I live in Vientiane, the capital of Laos. I am married. I have been working for Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation since 2009 as a national consultant or National Policy Expert. My work is about mainstreaming Food Security and Nutriton into the 7th NSEDP which liaises with Ministry of Planning and Investment of Lao PDR. It is an interesting and challengeable job.

My father's folktale- A poor and young man

Once upon a time, there was a young and poor man. He lived alone near a forest, a little far from the village. He made a hut under a fig tree and lived there alone. He did nothing, no job, no work. Every day, he just sat under the fig tree and looked at the sky as if he was dreaming or was waiting for something. Whenever he got tire, he slept. He ate figs that falling down from the tree for his meal.

One day there was a king and a few soldiers came back from their hunting and they passed by there. They saw that young and poor man slept under the tree. His body was very thin as if a corpse. He looked very sick.

The king wondered why the young and poor man lived here alone. Therefore he walked into that young and poor man and asked “what’s wrong with you? And why are you here alone?”

The young and poor man heard that voice and opened his eyes and looked at. He suddenly knew that was a king. He raised his two hands to make respect to the king. At the same time, he slowly spoke to the king with very low and unclear voices till the king could not hear it. It just could see his mouth slowly moved.

The king kneed down and tilt his ears toward the young and poor man’ s mouth and heard that.

“ After my birth, there was a fortune teller predicted that...” the young and poor man said with his tired voice.

“ Predicted that I was a person who had a best fate....when I grew up, I...I....I.. would become a king...Hmm.” the young man said with his bright eyes.

“Based on that, I moved to here....and has been waiting for my best destiny....to become a king some day....so I do not do anything...just sit and lay down here day after day....and eat the fig as my meal or food, ....until.. Hmmm...I get sick....”

“Then where are your parents?” the king asked more questions.

“My parents passed away a few years...only me...alone.....” the young and poor man said, the eye drop come out from his two eyes.

The king felt very pity on him. Therefore, he took his crown off and put in the young man head. Immediately, the young man passed away. The king and his soldiers did a funeral for the young and poor man and left there.

WITHOUT ACTION, DESTINY COULD NOT IMPACT OUR LIFE!